Breaching the Keep
by Nicole Berman
Summary: A post-ep for 2x17, "Wait and See". Charlotte finally lets Cooper past the castle gates and into the keep.


Title: "Breaching the Keep"

Rating: NC-17

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I'm just borrowing them. I hereby promise to return them dirtier, wetter and more satisfied than when I took them.

Characters/Pairing: Cooper/Charlotte

Spoilers: Up to and including 2x17.

Summary: A post-ep for 2x17, "Wait and See". Charlotte finally lets Cooper past the city gates and into the keep.

***

_"I'm storming the frickin' castle for you [...] You're **mine**, and I'm not walking away because you're scared." - Cooper_

***

MONDAY

Charlotte clung to Cooper like he would disappear if she couldn't hold him tight enough. Her breath came fast and hitched, but she didn't feel as if any of it was making its way into her lungs. _I'm sorry. I'm sorry,_ kept running through her mind. "Thank you. Thank you," kept coming out of her mouth.

"I love you," Cooper said simply, and the words cut her deep, wrenching free the tears she'd managed--for the most part--to suppress. She tightened her grip around his neck, and his arms squeezed her. The pressure on her waist lifted the weight on Charlotte's heart as Cooper's strong hug lifted her slightly off the ground.

All she could say was "Thank you."

She had finally let him go, stepped back and wiped her face, smiling tautly. "I have a busy day tomorrow."

Cooper could almost hear her walls clanging back into place.

***

TUESDAY

She stood outside his door for a few minutes, her hand half-raised in an aborted knock. _Yes. No. Stay. Go._ Her hand fell, and Charlotte turned to leave. She didn't hear the door open. She didn't hear Cooper step into the hall. But she felt his fingers circling her wrist, tugging urgently, and she turned back, going willingly into his arms. Her face pressed against his neck, her hoarse whisper nearly disappearing in the oppressive silence. "I don't know how."

Cooper pushed her coat back and kissed her bare shoulder. "How to...?"

Charlotte swallowed around the unshed tears. "Be in this relationship," she quoted his own words back to him. Of their own accord, her hands were undoing the buttons on his shirt, then shoving it roughly from his body.

"Just like this," he said, and Charlotte heard the smile in his voice, felt the shudder of his suppressed laughter as her mouth sought out his nipple.

She tried not to let his cockiness annoy her, but her next words came out clipped, anyway. "Oh, really, Freedman? It's that easy?"

"No." The sharp tone in Cooper's voice made Charlotte stop kissing down his chest and look up at him, her green eyes sparkling in anticipation of a fight. He gave a little shrug, reaching out to brush her hair out of her eyes. "You have to trust me." Even as her pretty lips parted to speak, Cooper shook his head, pressing his palm over her mouth. "Don't tell me you do, because you don't. If you did, we wouldn't be here right now, about to have make-up sex." His finger traced her lower lip, and Charlotte closed her teeth around his fingertip. "And don't think that fucking me will distract me. For very long," he amended with a groan as she pressed up against him.

Charlotte decided she didn't need very long. She just needed Cooper to stop talking long enough for her to figure out why she couldn't let him in, after everything he'd done for her. _That,_ she mused, _will only take forever._ Smiling shyly, she sank to her knees, and shook her head when Cooper started to protest. She had no other way to tell him at that moment; words seemed superfluous, and she _had_ to explain. Charlotte needed him to know how she felt, and as she took him in her mouth, looking up at him, she let Cooper see the struggle going on behind her green eyes. The walls were slowly crumbling, and his bright smile lit up Charlotte's heart.

***

Her silent apology had gone over well, but Cooper had quickly tired of not being able to kiss her, and he tugged on Charlotte's hand until she gave up. He practically dragged her over to the bed, pushing her down onto it gently. As she tumbled backwards, Charlotte grabbed his arm, pulling Cooper on top of her, and crushing her mouth on his. He slid easily between her knees, his body fitting to hers as if they were pieces of the same puzzle, separated by time and distance, only to fit back together perfectly the moment they were reunited.

"Coop..." Charlotte tugged at the waistband of his jeans, and Cooper wriggled out of them as quickly as he could, practically falling along the way and making her chuckle breathlessly.

"Are you laughing at me?" Cooper leaned over her, glaring as best he could while feeling altogether naked--which he was. When she nodded, he slid a hand along Charlotte's leg and underneath her skirt, shoving the piece of fabric up roughly. She bit her lower lip and inhaled sharply, and Cooper reacted instantly, his heart racing. His mouth covered hers, and Charlotte lifted her hips, wrapping one leg around Cooper's waist.

Without hesitation, Cooper shifted slightly, and then he was inside her, and Charlotte was groaning, both legs circling him. He pushed deeper, and Charlotte gasped, although she wasn't sure whether it was because of how good he always felt on top of her and inside her, or because the pressure inside her chest was back and she couldn't find the words to make it go away--the words that would magically make everything perfect and make her jealousy of Violet and the baby disappear. She had fallen for Cooper because he was a gallant knight on a white horse--but she needed him to be _her_ knight, no one else's. If he compared her to Violet, she knew she would lose; Charlotte had decided that the first time she saw Cooper and Violet together. With Cooper's love for children, add in that damn baby, and Charlotte spent every moment waiting for the other shoe to drop.

As she stretched up to meet his mouth, frustratingly just out of reach, Charlotte found the words she needed. "Coop..." He kissed her hard, but she twisted away. "Cooper, wait." He stopped moving immediately, tilting his head to study her carefully. "I..." And just like that, her throat closed, and the words were gone.

"You?" he asked, encouraging her.

Charlotte shook her head. "I...I need you," was the best she could do.

Cooper thrust into her, and Charlotte cried out. Her head tilted back, her back arched, and Cooper's mouth trailed over the exposed skin of her neck, biting gently. "You have me."

***

WEDNESDAY

One paper cup full of fourth floor coffee. Two creamers, three Splendas, already stirred in. And one little, yellow Post-It, clinging for dear life to his computer monitor. _Thank you._

She slipped away, unnoticed in the quiet office and headed for the elevator. The doors slid open and Charlotte caught sight of Cooper's face. She ducked behind a large potted plant, hearing Violet's voice and cringing as her chest tightened.

"You promised. Friday was supposed to be Chinese and 'Notting Hill'," Violet said, and Charlotte heard her own 'But, _Cooper_...' pout reflected in Violet's voice.

"And we're still doing that," Cooper promised, his voice making Charlotte jump as they passed her hiding spot. "Tomorrow. Friday night, I'm taking Charlotte out on a real date and spending the night at her place."

Charlotte couldn't help the grin that stole across her mouth.

"But, Coop..."

Charlotte wanted to leap out from behind the plant and slap Violet silly. _You'll have him for the next seven months, you greedy bitch._

"No." She hardly ever heard Cooper's voice that firm; he sounded as adamant as he had when he'd refused to let her push him away. "She's my girlfriend, Vi. And she's trying really hard. She needs to know that I'm meeting her halfway."

Their voices faded away, and Charlotte peeked out from behind the plant, blushing as she caught Dell staring at her. Clearing her throat, she straightened her blouse and strode toward the elevator confidently, her smile still firmly in place.

***

THURSDAY

She came back from rounds at St. Ambrose to find a pink Post-It note tucked beneath one corner of her desk calendar. "Tomorrow. 8 pm. Your place. Sorry it can't be tonight." He had drawn a little heart below his note, and Charlotte rolled her eyes, but she smiled despite herself.

***

FRIDAY

When he knocked, Charlotte threw the door open and pounced on him. When they finally ran out of energy at two the next morning, she curled up next to him, her head resting on Cooper's chest. A few minutes passed, during which they both tried to catch their breath. She was surprised that he didn't immediately start talking, but Charlotte was glad for the silence. It gave her a chance to relax and try to absorb the past week. More time passed, and before she knew it, Cooper's breathing had slowed, and her own eyes were falling shut, despite her best efforts. "Coop?" she murmured sleepily.

"Mm?"

Charlotte felt Cooper's lips brush across her forehead, and she smiled. Now she knew, without question, which words she had needed all along. "We should have dinner with Violet sometime. I should probably be on speaking terms with your best friend, if we want this to work."

When Cooper replied, Charlotte heard the love in his voice, and it made her stomach fill with butterflies. "Anytime you want." His finger under her chin tilted Charlotte's face up, and the last thing she saw before he kissed her was Cooper's radiant expression.

An hour later, when Cooper declared that he had properly thanked her for being so open-minded--and Charlotte thought she'd be too sore to move until Monday--she found herself cradled against his side again, falling asleep safely wrapped in his arms. "Cooper?"

He groaned lightly. "I'm not sure I can do it again, Char."

Charlotte giggled, turning her head to kiss Cooper's bare chest. "No, not that. I just..." She tried to stop her heart from pounding. "I lo--I love you," she finally spat the words, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I love you, too," Cooper murmured happily, kissing the top of her head.

"But Coop?"

"Hm?"

Charlotte chuckled breathily, her deep Southern accent pronounced in every word. "If her kid starts calling you 'Daddy', I'll castrate you myself."


End file.
